The nation has watched as Fashola has gone from all dark hair to a full crop of grey in a few years; with some attributing the rapid change to the myriad responsibilities on his work desk.

Fashola turned 55 on Thursday, June 28, 2018, with his team and friends choosing to celebrate the man in an intellectual environment at the Lagos City Hall “because that’s what the man would have wanted”, said Fashola’s speechwriter, Mr. Terfa Tilley-Gyado.

The big friends turned up for Fashola

Surrounded by politicians like Musiliu Obanikoro, Muiz Banire, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, technocrats like Mrs. Ibukun Awosika and businessmen like Femi Otedola and Aliko Dangote, Fashola got hold of the microphone after comedian MC Tagwaye—who makes a living out of perfectly mimicking President Buhari—told a joke of how Fashola has gone all grey haired since he became minister.

“I decided to keep my hair grey even though I have the option of dying it black or green because a man I admired and looked up to, did the same, even though he had a lot of challenges”, Fashola said to bouts of laughter from his audience.

Using the joke to illustrate mentorship, the minister added that; “I have met a lot of young people who ask me to mentor them. And I always say yes. But how many people can I really mentor? As a young lawyer, I watched mannerisms of lawyers just to be like them. We have a lot of work to do as parents, not just as leaders”.

The minister also charged young people to take up more responsibilitiesbecause “being young doesn’t entitle you to anything”.

The event was tagged BRF GABFEST 2018 and had as its theme: ‘The youth in Nigeria, mapping the future’.

During the event, there were discussion panels; with young politicians and technocrats outlining a slew of solutions to Nigeria’s perennial problems.